UK defence minister on India tour

The UK is working hard to help eradicate illegal drugs, Hoon says

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is on his way to India from Pakistan for a three-day visit aimed at strengthening defence ties.

Mr Hoon is expected to meet the Indian foreign and defence ministers and other senior government officials.

His Pakistan trip included talks with President Pervez Musharraf and other senior government officials.

The British minister is also expected to help boost relations between India and Pakistan.

Apart from meetings with senior ministers, Mr Hoon is also expected to meet India's army, navy and air force chiefs.

Fight against terrorism

On a brief stopover in Delhi on his way to Pakistan on Monday, Mr Hoon said he was looking forward to meeting the Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and "discussing ways to carry ahead the good work we have jointly done so far."

We will extend cooperation in the fight against terrorism to new forms of criminality including illegal immigration, money laundering and terrorist financing Geoff Hoon

The Indian Express newspaper quoted Mr Hoon as saying his visit to India was "focussed on developing a closer rapport with my Indian counterpart as well as formulating closer interaction with New Delhi on terrorism and reforms to the United Nations".

"We will extend co-operation in the fight against terrorism to new forms of criminality including illegal immigration, money laundering and terrorist financing," the newspaper quoted Mr Hoon as saying.

In Pakistan, Mr Hoon welcomed the current thaw in relations between India and Pakistan.

"We as friends, both of Pakistan and India, are delighted that our friends are engaging in this process and we will do whatever we can in whatever small way we can to support it," he said on Tuesday.

The defence secretary also attended the burning of a $75m stash of heroin, hashish and opium in Rawalpindi.

"It is a difficult challenge in Afghanistan. I am not in any way suggesting we have succeeded, but we are working hard to eradicate the problem of drugs in Afghanistan," Mr Hoon said.